In wireless networks that implement a random access protocol, such as a Carrier Sense Multiple Access With Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol, client devices contend for use of the same channel. After a successful contention, a client device is given access to the channel for reception or transmission of data packets. One issue with this contention process is that client devices experiencing poor channel conditions are generally given equal access to the channel. As a result, these client devices end up transmitting their data packets at lower rates due to the poor channel conditions, which, among other things, degrades overall network throughput.
Thus, there are general needs for wireless networks and methods of scheduling wireless devices in contention-based networks that take into account channel conditions of the wireless devices and help prevent the overall network throughput from degrading.